Wednesday, 31 March 2010

If you are following me on Twitter or Facebook, no doubt you will have seen me write this a LOT the last few days.Now I am going to explain why. :D

I think I have mentioned once or twice (:p) that I LOVE Flashforward and I have already explained the reasons why. But the show is in serious danger of being cancelled and I would like to make a plea on behalf of everyone who loves it to help us to save it.

You have probably noticed the alarming amount of negative press that has surrounded Flashforward, but it's time to make it stop. David Vox Mullen is the presenter of Flashforcast, a podcast dedicated to Flashforward, and he is asking fans of Flashforward to take action to secure a second season for the show.

All it takes is a simple letter to the head of ABC's Entertainment Group. If every single person who watches Flashforward in the U.S alone, that's over 6 million letters dropping into Stephen McPherson's mailbox. If we then add all th epeople who watch throughout the rest of the world, we could probably more than double that number. Who could ignore that?

This tactic has worked before, and it can work again. As a fan of Flashforward, I am asking you not to let this chance slip by. If you love Flashforward, make it known by sending a letter. You can make a difference.

Tuesday, 30 March 2010

Following my Top Ten Young Hollywood actors, I bring you the female version, just in time for Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by ohamanda !

For my list, please click here - (yes I know this is slightly cheating but I am short on time and I didn't wanna miss Top Ten Tuesday!) Feel free to leave comments and I will reply as soon as I can! Thanks!

Sunday, 28 March 2010

Happy Sunday everyone! Hope all in Europe are coping with the time change! :p I am never amused when I have to lose an hour's sleep!

On to the entertainment news....

I recently took on the challenge to pick twenty of the hottest young stars in Hollywood right now, ten actors and ten actresses. It has taken me a loooong time to compile the list because there is so much young talent out there at the moment. However, I finally completed article number one, so I present you with The Finest Young Actors Hollywood Has To Offer!

Friday, 26 March 2010

YAY! It's Flashforward Friday again! Time is flying by, but where Flashforward is concerned, that is a great thing!

I sincerely hope you have all been watching ;) This show just keeps on getting better and better with each episode. I cannot urge you guys enough to start viewing Flashforward if you haven't already. Excellent writing, great cast and an outstanding concept!

Thursday, 25 March 2010

Yesterday I picked up an assignment from the Associated Content assignment desk. The assignment was to write an article about my favourite characters from a movie series. It was a no brainer for me. I know which characters I love so I figured it would be easy. What was challenging though, was explaining what I loved about them in a way that was easy for other people to understand. Actually, that is often a challenge when I write about anything I am passionate about. It's hard not to assume that everyone loves the same things and understands what I mean with little explanation!

Let's look at the question in the title. What makes a good movie character? For me, it's a number of things. First of all, a well written character is a must. A character with depth, a reason for their actions. A two dimensional character is just not going to cut it. Even now I still see movies with characters in them that have a distinct lack of motivation and purpose *coughTwilightcough*. I think the right actor is also essential to a movie character. Tom Cruise could not have played The 40 Year Old Virgin any more than Steve Carrell could have pulled off Cruise's part in Cocktail. It's not entirely about the look, it's about what the actor is good at. Although a good actor can turn his hand to anything, I believe certain actors are better at certain things.

That said, before Michael Emerson became creepy Ben in Lost, he was a comedy actor. But Ben is actually pretty funny, so I guess it still works! :p

What makes you love a movie character, and which are your favourites?

If you want to see which character from movie series' I picked as my favourites, click here!

Tuesday, 23 March 2010

In honour of Top Ten Tuesday at the wonderful blog of ohamanda I'd like to share my list of the top ten break up songs! We all know the feelings that wash over you when you break up with someone. Misery, pain, anger. But music has magical healing properties and I think this list can help!

1. Since You've Been Gone by Kelly Clarkson

2. You Oughta Know by Alanis Morrisette

3. With or Without You by U2

4. Strong Enough by Cher

5. Go Your Own Way by Fleetwood Mac

6. F*ck You by Lily Allen

7. How Can You Mend a Broken Heart by Al Green

8. Leave Right Now by Will Young

9. Survivor by Destiny's Child

10. I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor

For the more detailed version of this list, please click here and feel free to leave your own suggestions in a comment!

Monday, 22 March 2010

Subscribers to my blog may be under the impression that cheesy pop is all I am interested in. That couldn't be further from the truth. Yes, I do have a special place in my heart for boybands and other such cheesy music but I am also a huge fan of rock music. I love music from as far back as the 60's, though 70's and 80's rock is by far my favourite. Some might say this in itself is quite cheesy, but that is beside the point! :p

As it is Music Monday, I wanted to share a very special interview with you. This was the first interview I ever wrote, and with a member of a rather amazing band. Alberto Albis is the man, Viva La Union is the band. Besides being the bass player for Viva La Union, Alberto is a very talented, fun and genine guy. His talents don't just lie with bass playing. He also writes songs and helps to produce and promote new artists, one of whom I have also interviewed.

Viva La Union is an indie/rock band and has a very distinctive sound. The lyrics, written mainly by the endlessly talented John Cho, have depth and meaning and many are brilliantly catchy. Take a look at this interview with Alberto Albis, have a listen to some of their tracks (links are in the article) and let me know what you think!

Friday, 19 March 2010

Never have I been so excited about the return of a tv show as I was yesterday. Flashforward came back to the U.S after a three month break and the wait was an absolute killer! With loose ends hanging all over the place, the fans needed answers and boy did we get them!

Because people outside of America won't have seen the episode yet (unless you're like me and couldn't wait!) I am going to keep this a spoiler free zone but what I can tell you is that last night's two hour opener is among the best Flashforward episodes so far. Quinton Peeples, formerly the show's script editor, wrote the first half of Revelation Zero and it was incredible. Fast paced and loaded with action, clever twists and turns and some unbelievable scenes, it was the perfect way to bring the show back (though slightly lacking in Agent Noh :p).

Although some questions were answered last night, we still don't know who the FBI Mole is - but for theories, take a look at this article about the suspects.

Thursday, 18 March 2010

In 2009 X-Factor was the cause of many a controversy. John and Edward Grimes, now known as "Jedward" split the UK in half as people debated over whether or not they deserved their place in the ITV show. Although many were against them, week after week they continued to be voted through to the next round. The biggest upset came when the judges on the show refused to pick between Lucie Jones and John and Edward, and so the final decision went back to the public. Millions were outraged when talented Welsh singer Lucie Jones was ousted from the show and the backlash against the Irish twins was incredible.

Drama aside though, last year's X Factor produced some great talent. My favourite of which is Olly Murs. The twenty five year old From Essex was and still is very popular and has been tipped for great things by people with far more knowledge than me!

For more info about Olly, see this article on his future potential! Let me know what you think!

Tuesday, 16 March 2010

Following Music Monday, we now have Top Ten Tuesday! There is something rather geeky about this day naming thing, but I really love it! I learned of this new phenomonen here - it's fun!

Today's list I wrote as an article at Associated Content. This is my Top Ten Friends Cameo Appearances, just because I adore Friends!

1. Julia Roberts as Suzie Moss - When the Friends go to see Ross' former monkey Marcel, Chandler meets an old school friend. Suzie begins making a move on Chandler and the two of them begin a very steamy fling. She even convinces him to wear her underwear out on a date! The same evening, Suzie seduces Chandler in the men's room in a restaurant, then runs away with his clothes.

2. Gary Oldman as Richard Crosby - When Joey was cast as the lead in a movie, he was thrilled to be co-starring with Richard Crosby. What Joey didn't know was that Richard had a drinking problem. In order to get to Monica and Chandler's wedding on time, Joey had to try to sober him up so they could shoot their scene. There are some brilliant moments as a very drunk Richard has some problems with the props!

3.Danny DeVito as The Stripper - Probably the BEST Friends cameo appearance ever came from Danny DeVito. When Monica and Rachel realise that Phoebe wants a stripper at her bachelorette party, they call the first one they find in the phone book. That stripper is a very unfit Danny DeVito. His dancing made it hard for even the cast to keep a straight face!

4.Tom Selleck as Richard Burke - So good that they gave him a recurring role, Tom Selleck starred as Monica's boyfriend during Season Two. Richard was a friend of Monica's parents so their relationship caused some friction to begin with but it soon passed. Sadly, both Monica and Richard's hearts were broken when their relationship ended because they wanted different things for their future.

5. Reece Witherspoon as Jill Green - Another great Friends cameo appearance came from Reece Witherspoon. She played Rachel's spoiled younger sister Jill. Jill's father told her to go and live with Rachel so she could grow up and get herself a career. Rachel quickly took her sister under her wing and tried to help her but Jill became angry when Rachel said she couldn't date Ross, so she went ahead and did it anyway.

6.Giovanni Ribisi as Frank Jnr - Frank Jnr is Phoebe's rather quirky half brother. With a passion for "melting stuff", he finally matured slightly when he met Alice, his Home Economics teacher. Even though she was much older than him they fell in love and eventually had triplets, carried by Phoebe. Thankfully the Buffay weirdness stayed with him throughout the show's duration!

7.Bruce Willis as Paul Stevens - One of my all time favourite actors, Bruce Willis had a cameo role in Friends as the father of Ross' student girlfriend Elizabeth. A little emotionally unstable, Paul threatened to have Ross fired until Ross caught him doing something rather embarrassing in front of the mirror!

8.Ben Stiller as Tommy - Rachel began dating Tommy after she broke up with Ross and he seemed like a decent enough guy until he started screaming at an old couple at Joey's play. Ross tried to warn the others but they all put it down to jealousy. Eventually he got caught screaming at the chick and the duck and Rachel immediately dumped him.

9. Anna Faris as Erica - Anna Faris played the woman who chose Monica and Chandler to adopt her baby. An innocent girl, she shocked the Bings when she said the father of her child might be a murderer! Thankfully, that wasn't the case but she went on to further surprise Monica and Chandler when she gave birth to twins.

10. Freddie Prinze Jnr as Sandy - My final favourite Friends cameo appearance is by Freddie Prinze Jnr. Rachel and Ross hire him as their nanny. Rachel adores him but Ross is uncomfortable with Sandy's sensitivity and fires him. Joey later hires him to be his teacher.

Monday, 15 March 2010

I'm going to start with something that combines both music and television. A show which makes the High School Musical movies look dull in comparison. Yes, it's Glee! If you haven't seen this show yet, you really need to check it out. Like High School Musical, Glee brings high school drama and catchy tunes but instead of being squeaky clean it is jammed with controversial topics, quirky characters and brilliant humour. It's dry and sarcastic which appeals to adults, but it also has many touching, teenage moments that high-schoolers will easily relate too. The cast is mainly a host of people plucked from musicals which should give you a clue as to how brilliant their performances are, and yet Glee isn't crammed with show tunes. Instead they take popular music of all genres and eras and make them new and unique.

Quite recently, the Glee cast released a soundtrack of tunes from the show and today in the UK Volume 2 will be released - which I will be listening to and reviewing a little later. Until then though, take a look at my review of the Glee Soundtrack Volume One. See if I can make a Gleek out of you!

Friday, 12 March 2010

Perhaps it's time for a bit more of an introduction. I mentioned that I write about entertainment but I haven't yet gone into any detail about the things I enjoy!

My main tv love at the moment is Flashforward.I probably mentioned this in my post about Jessika Borsiczky Goyer, but what I may not have mentioned is - it's an obsession. For the three months since Flashforward went on hiatus, I have been avoiding any possible promos, clips, sneak peeks etc because all it does is make me miss it more! It's also partly to avoid seeing things I don't want to know yet, but mainly, I can't stand the torture. The cast is exceptional, Joseph Fiennes, John Cho, Jack Davenport and Dominic Monaghan are just a few of the stars. The storyline is fantastic, the writing is brilliant and instead of just being one mystery, there are mysteries wrapped inside other mysteries! The questions are endless, as are the possibilites. I firmly believe everyone should be watching it!

I am also a huge Lost fan. I got into the show very late, last summer to be precise! But after just two episodes, I was completely hooked and heavily attached to many of the characters. I will be very sad to see the end of it this year. :(

My UK tv love is currently Dancing on Ice. A bunch of celebrities learn how to ice dance under the watchful eye of Olympic gold medallists Torvill and Dean. They are teamed with a professional skater and together they learn a new routine weekly and dance live in front of the nation every Sunday night.It is amazing what these stars can accomplish on this show - check this link out . Hayley Tamaddon is an actress and singer, not a professional skater but this routine is totally worthy of an Olympic gold medal and after just a few months of training!

In terms of music - well, in spite of my current Boyzone promotion, I am not a complete boyband fanatic :p I just have a wide variety of tastes. It would be impossible to list everything I love because there is so much of it!

Same goes for movies. I have a huge amount of favourites but if I were to pick a genre, romantic comedies would win out.

Wednesday, 10 March 2010

Over the last few days, I have noticed some of my friends spreading the joy by posting ten things that make them happy on their blogs. I first noticed the trend on my friend Faith's blog and it got me thinking. I could list ten things every day that make me happy,but the thing that never fails to cheer me up is music! No matter what the situation, there is almost always a perfect song to make things seem better.In the name of spreading the happiness, here is my list of ten songs to make you feel good!

Monday, 8 March 2010

Some of you may have already read this article of mine about Boyzone's Stephen Gately who died last year while on holiday in Majorca. In that article I explain what Boyzone mean to me, and how Stephen was always my favourite. More than ten years on,they hold a special place in my heart for being the band I adored as a teenager.

Today they release their first album since Stephen died. Thankfully, Stephen's vocals do appear on the album, titled 'Brother', a tribute to him. I admit that I was a little nervous about buying 'Brother'. The idea of not hearing Stephen's voice on every single song still hurts a little. I never expected his death to have such an impact on me. While I didn't go into a period of mourning and sob for weeks, I do feel twinges of emotion on hearing certain songs. I am also very deeply moved by seeing and hearing how the other members of Boyzone have continued to keep on working through their grief to make this album possible for Stephen.

This got me thinking. When you were growing up, which bands were you really into? Whose posters did you have on your bedroom walls?

Wednesday, 3 March 2010

As a lifelong fan of music, I have always had a thing for lyrics. I hear a song I like and I need to learn the words immediately so I can scare the neighbours with my singing! But occasionally there are songs I hear and think "Surely that can't be right." This happened when I was innocently singing along to Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison many years ago. The line (which I shall not repeat for worry of causing offence at the rudeness!) came out quite naturally, but made no sense and was....well....filthy! After I worked out what the real words were I realised that mis-hearing lyrics is something I do quite often, occasionally causing hilarity among my friends.

It might be that I am easily amused, but misheard lyrics have been known to make me cry with laughter and as we can all use a little laughter from time to time, I compiled a list of my favourite "mondegreens". Please read, and let me know what some of your favourite misheard lyrics are!

Tuesday, 2 March 2010

Whatever you wish to excel in, you have to start at the bottom. Occasionally, a lucky break can come along and you could find yourself becoming successful quickly, but even if that is the case, it can only be maintained through hard work.

The music business is notoriously difficult to get into. It has been made a little simpler in recent years with the invention of YouTube, MySpace, Facebook and blogging, but to make a living from music requires a lot of work and even those with enormous talent can still struggle.

I like to think that I have a pretty good ear for finding the artists that will make it and those who don't quite have what it takes. I had heard of Lady Gaga a long while before she stormed the charts with Just Dance, Muse were an unknown local band when I first listened to them and Alexandra Burke was a clear X Factor winner the first year she auditioned for the show.

While I cannot take any credit for the success of the stars I mentioned, it occurred to me that by writing articles I could give a helping hand to musicians who are just starting out. It gives me a chance to combine two of the things I love, and if reading my articles encourage people to listen to the people I have interviewed, I have helped them reach more potential new fans. Plus, it would be pretty cool to say that I helped *insertfuturefamouspopstarnamehere* before they were famous!

Here is one of my rising star interviews. An amazing young lady from California, named Kelly Fauth.

Monday, 1 March 2010

….to be so excited that the executive producer of Flashforward tweeted my article?? Jessika Borsiczky found my article on the internet and decided that it was worth posting on her Twitter account! This blows my mind. It also reminds me just how incredible the internet is. I live in the UK in a tiny little town, and someone who works on my favourite tv show in L.A can see my work and felt it worthy of sharing!

I am new to to article writing, but this has given me an enormous boost! I guess it shows that writing is infinitely better when you write about what you love!